Vehicle identification system



7 March 7, 1961 H. B. STERNBERG 2,973,596

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1958 ATTORNEYS -March 7,1961 I-IEISTFMBERG 2,973,596

' VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM Filed July 17, 1958 FIG. 4.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I lll' Ill" FIG. 7.

INVENTOR. 195285-27 8. swan/anus BY ZMLQ I N ATTORA/fiYS V y of the vehicle.

' material part of this disclosure.

United States Patent O f This invention relates to a novel system for perma -nently recording the history of a vehicle,'and is especially concerned with apparatus providing a permanent record of information identifying the vehicle.

As is well known, ownership to a motor vehicle is commonly passed or transferred several times during the life This presents serious problems, especially in accurately appraising the value of a used vehicle, as by a purchaser, or for purposes of insurance and financing. Problems also exist-in the proper identification of a vehicle, as by law enforcement agencies in recovering stolen property.

'--In order to overcome-these difliculties,.it is highly desirable to provide a permanent history of the vehicle, which may be relied upon for its authenticity and -ac curacy, both for purposes of identification and appraisal.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention facts and information relative to the history of the vehi- 'clefand wherein'any tampering with such apparatus or attempted alteration of the information carried thereby is'r'e'adily discernible.

- It is another objectof the present invention to provide apparatus of the type described which is extremely simple in construction and durable and reliable in use through out the vehicle life, capable of being readily incorporated in the vehiclelitself and easily provided with the necessar 'indicia.

'Other' objects of the-present invention willbecome apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a The invention accordingly consists in the featuresof construction, combinations of elements, and arrangementsof parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope wil be-indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a recording device of the present invention as. assembled and installed in-a vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section showing a mountingbracket of the assembly of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing'a cover, element of the assembly of Fig. l; Fig.- 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. l; FigL S is a perspective view illustrating a seal adapted to be employedi'n'the'assembly of Figs. 1 and 4;

Fig;- 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating apparatus for providing the essential information on the cover element of Fig. 3; and a is an elevational view partly in section illus tratin'g apparatus for aflixing the bracket of Eig. 2 to a vehicle.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Figs. 1-4 thereof, 10 designates a struc- 'to pro'v'ide apparatus adapted to be permanently fixed to a 'vehicle which is capable of displayingall pertinent snug conforming engagement about the latter.

Patented Mar. 7, 1961 tural part of a vehicle, to which is aflixed the identifying apparatus 11 of the present invention.v The apparatus 11 includes a bracket generally designated 12, best seen in Fig. 2. The bracket includes a mount 13 and an extension element or carrier 14.

The mount 13 may be formed integrally or otherwise,

and includes a generally frustum-conical portion 15 having its larger end provided with an outstanding peripheral flange 16 fixedly secured in facing engagement with the wall 10, as by a weld 17 or other suitable permanent securing means. On the inner end of the conical mount portion 15 is provided a radially inwardly extending annular wall -18. From the radially inner edge of the wall 18 extends a generally cylindrical wall 19 outward away from the vehicle part 10. An annular radially outstanding wall 20 is provided on the outer end of the cylindrical wall 19, so that the walls 18, 19 and 20 combine to define an annular, radially outwardly opening groove or trough 21.

I The bracket element or extension '14 is of generally prismatic configuration, having an external cross section of polygonal shape provided with an odd number of sides,

nine being shown for purposes of illustration in the drawpermanently and rotatably secured to the bracket ele-.

ment or mount 13.

By reason of the aforedescribed polygonal cross-sectional configuration of the bracket element 14, there are defined on the outer surface thereof a plurality of generally rectangular longitudinally extending faces or panels 26, which faces intersect with each other along parallel As best seen in Fig. 4, the lines of intersection of the adjacent faces 26 are externally raised to define on :the exterior of the bracket element a plurality of parallel, longitudinally extending ridges27. The bracket element 14 is preferably provided with at least 'two through openings or slots 28, preferably elongate in the longitudinal direction of the extension, and formed in spaced ridges 27in substantially laterally aligned relation with respect Ito each other.

-The cover of. Fig. 3 is generally designated 30, and

'is' of hollow prismatic configuration, having a polygonal cross-sectional configuration similar to and just slightly larger than that of the bracket element 14 for The prismatic cover element 30 may be considered as formed .of a plurality of longitudinally extending, generally rectangular, angularly' disposed panels or faces 31, each adjacent pair of which is joined together by a longitudinally extending externally raised portion, rib or ridge 32. The inner or undersides of the ribs 32 are recessed to snugly and conformably receive the ridges or ribs 27 of the extension 14. The outer end of the cover 30 may be closed by an end wall 33,. while'the inner end of the cover is open to receive therethrough the bracket =-element 14; 5 An external, peripherallyextendingmibi 34 30 is advantageously fabricated of material capable of being embossed or otherwise marked, such that attempted alteration or defacement "of the markings would be readily apparent.

-In Figs. land 4, the cover 30 is illustratedas snugly *and conformably'enga'ged about the bracket-extension -14. The-holes or slots 28 and '35-of the extension 14 and cover 30, respectively, are in registry-in the assembled condition; and,-a seal 38 of flexible 'str'ip material extends through the registering slots interiorly'of the assembly, having its endsjoined together exteriorly of the assembly byan appropriate non-openable securing element 39. That -is,'the securing element 39-may be of any-conventionaltype adapted'tobe opened only by destruction thereof.

in the assembled condition, it will'be understood that the cover 30 is-freely rotatable with the bracket extension 14 to present any desired face of the cover to view. Further, relative rotation of-the cover 30 and bracket element 14 is effectivelyprevented, both by the polygonal engagement of the elements, and especially by the interfitting ribs thereof. This restraint against relative rotation of the cover and bracket element prevents the seal 38 from being subjected to shear across its smallest dimension; and, attempted removal of the cover 30 by longitudinal sliding thereof is effectively resisted by the seal across its width or greatest'dimension.

In Fig. 6 is shown a backing member or mandrel 41 having a solid head 42 preferably provided with a slightly yieldable covering 43, as of rubber or the like. The head and covering 42, 43 are fixedly positioned by means of the axial shank extending from the right-hand end, and are of an external prismatic configuration similar to that of the bracket extension 14 for snug conforming engagement in the cover 30. The cover 30 isillustrated in Fig. 6 as engaged over the head of-the back- -ing member 41. An embossing or. printing member 45 is movable into and out of imprinting relation with respect to a'selected face or panel 31 of the cover 30; and, a reinforcing member 46 is removably engageable with the end wall 33 of the cover to more rigidly support the cover and backing member under the force of the embossing member. The backing member may be rotatable to index the desired cover panel into facing relation with respect to the embossing member 45.

-By this-embossing apparatus, it will be apparent that the-odd number of sides of the prismatic cover config- 'uration pr ovides no obstacle or-deterrent to the imprintitig or embossing procedure. However, in the absence of such a backing member, the odd-numbered sides of the prismatic configuration effectively prevents the-cover from being backed up sufficiently to effectively emboss a panel'thereof. Hence, the odd-sided prismatic configuration serves to effectively deter unauthorized imprinting of the cover.

In-Fig. 7 is illustrated a welding element, generally designated 50, adapted to secure the bracket 12 to the vehicle part 10, in the condition illustrated in Fig. 2. More specifically, the bracket 12 is positioned with its flange 16 in facing engagement with the vehicle part and, the welding element includes a sleeve 51 engageable over the bracket element 14 and having one end portion 52 abuttingly engageable with the outer face of flange 16. Heat may be applied to the sleeve 51 by a suitable heating element 53 electrically operated by conductor means 54. In this condition, with appropriate welding flux at the adjacent surfaces of the 4 flange 16 and vehicle part 10, permanent welding of such surfaces is effectively accomplished. The sleeve 50 may then be removed, and the-bracket 12 remains secured in the condition of Fig. 2.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a vehiclehistory recording system and apparatus which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to inet ptactical"cdriditioiisof manufacture, installation and use.

Although the present invention has' been described in some detail by wayor "illustration'andexamplcfor purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes an'd'modifications may be-made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle recording system, the combination comprising, a bracketadapted to be -fixed' to and project ing the bracket to prevent relative movement therebetween, the several faces of the cover providing areas for said imprinting, and the odd number of sides effectively deterring unauthorized imprinting ofthe cover faces.

2. A system according to claim l, wherein the corners of said bracket and cover are provided with ridges forsnug interfitting engagement with each other upon engagement of said cover over said bracket, to resist relative rotation of said bracket and cover and prevent shearing of aseal in said openings.

3. A system according to claim l, said bracket comprising a mount adapted to be fixed to the vehicle part, and prismatic element having one end rotatably secured to said mount and having its other end remote from said mount.

4. A vehicle recording apparatus comprising a mount adapted to be fixed to a part of a vehicle, a generally prismatic bracket element having one end permanently secured to said mount and having its other end remote from saidmount, agenerally prismatic cover element re- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,065 Probert Aug. 8, 1916 1,504,613 Ferguson Aug. 12, 1 924 1,885,692 Diigan Nov. 1, 1932 

